TUGUEGARAO CITY: The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) has issued notices to 25 owners of beach resorts and other establishments in the coastal town of Santa Ana, ordering them to vacate and self-demolish their structures.

DENR Region 2 information officer Carolyn Annang-Tumamao said the owners were issued notices due to alleged violations such as a lack of necessary permits and illegal occupancy.

The notices were issued to 23 establishments in Sitio Nangaramoan, Barangay San Vicente and Barangay Patunungan, located within forest land and coastal areas.

Citing Section 78 of Presidential Decree 705, or the “Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines,” Tumamao said occupation is prohibited within any forest land without the authority of a license agreement, lease or permit.

The DENR Region 2 also issued the same notice to the Blue Ridge Resort in Sitio Dalupang in San Vicente for failing to comply with the terms and conditions of the Forest Land Use Agreement for Tourism.

DENR Region 2 Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan said their operation was conducted to strengthen the enforcement of environmental laws within forest lands and marine protected areas in the region as part of the mandate of the agency.

“Upon issuance of tenurial instruments, we conducted two activities: compliance monitoring to make sure that grantees adhered to the provisions of the instrument and performance evaluations before the expiration of tenure as the basis for renewal,” said Bambalan.

She added that all establishments along coastal areas in the region will be evaluated, apart from those sites that were investigated and issued with notices of violation in Santa Ana town.

Provincial ENR officer Enrique Pasion said the violators have constructed concrete structures within forest land, limestones, and along 40-meter legal easement areas, which are no-build zones.

Led by Pasion, the composite team that conducted the operation earlier this month was composed of officials and personnel from the DENR legal, enforcement, and surveys and mapping divisions.

The team also included the Mines and Geosciences Bureau headed by Regional Director Mario Ancheta, the Environmental Management Bureau, the provincial ENR office in Cagayan and community ENR office in Aparri town.

The team’s operation was conducted in the presence of personnel from the local government unit of Santa Ana, the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, and the Philippine National Police.

“We plan to gather all business owners and investors to inform them of existing policies and ensure that these tourism establishments are environmentally compliant to avoid violations in the future,” Pasion said.

He said the assessment made in said areas resulted in the identification of risks such as landslides, tsunamis and the occurrence of sinkholes.